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Attachment of Sister Chromatids

Attachment of Sister Chromatids

As cells progress into mitosis, the nuclear envelope breaks down, and the condensed chromosomes are exposed to the array of bipolar microtubules of the mitotic spindle. The kinetochore, a large, disc-shaped protein complex, is present at the centromere region of the sister chromatids and acts as a binding site for the microtubules. Usually, the plus-end of a single microtubule is embedded within the kinetochore. However, some kinetochores first establish lateral contact with the side-wall of a...

Attachment of Sister Chromatids

Attachment of Sister Chromatids

As cells progress into mitosis, the nuclear envelope breaks down, and the condensed chromosomes are exposed to the array of bipolar microtubules of the mitotic spindle. The kinetochore, a large, disc-shaped protein complex, is present at the centromere region of the sister chromatids and acts as a binding site for the microtubules. Usually, the plus-end of a single microtubule is embedded within the kinetochore. However, some kinetochores first establish lateral contact with the side-wall of a...

Forces Acting on Chromosomes

Forces Acting on Chromosomes

During mitosis, chromosome movements occur through the interplay of multiple piconewton level forces. In prometaphase, these forces help in chromosome assembly or congression at the equatorial plane, eventually leading to their alignment at the metaphase plate. The forces acting on the chromosomes are space and time-dependent; therefore, they vary with the position of the chromosomes as the cell progresses through mitosis.
Microtubules and motor proteins exert two types of forces on...

Anaphase A and B

Anaphase A and B

Microtubules form through the end-to-end polymerization of tubulin heterodimers. Kinetochore microtubules originate from the spindle poles, and their plus-ends connect with the kinetochores on sister-chromatids. Ndc80 protein complexes, present on the kinetochore, form low-affinity links with the plus end of these kinetochore microtubules.
Plus-end depolymerization releases tubulin heterodimers from the terminal region of the microtubule. As tubulin subunits are lost, the Ndc80 complexes detach...

The Mitotic Spindle

The Mitotic Spindle

The mitotic spindle—or spindle apparatus—is a eukaryotic, cytoskeletal structure made up of long protein fibers called microtubules. Formed during cell division, the spindle separates sister chromatids and moves them to opposite ends of a parental cell, where the now individual chromosomes are distributed to two daughter cell nuclei.
The bipolar configuration of the mitotic spindle facilitates chromosomal segregation, preparing the cell for division. One mechanism that ensures bipolar mitotic...

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The destabilization of microtubules can occur during different stages of the microtubule lifecycle, such as nucleation or elongation. It can take place at either end of the microtubule or in the microtubule lattices as a whole. The lifespan of individual microtubules within a cell varies according to the cell type and stage of the cell cycle. During interphase, the lifespan of the microtubule is about 30 minutes, while during cell division, it is about 15 minutes. In axonal microtubules of...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Immunofluorescence Analysis of Endogenous and Exogenous Centromere-kinetochore Proteins

Immunofluorescence Analysis of Endogenous and Exogenous Centromere-kinetochore Proteins

Published on: March 3, 2016

Merotelic kinetochore attachment: causes and effects.

Juraj Gregan¹, Silvia Polakova, Lijuan Zhang

¹Max F. Perutz Laboratories, University of Vienna, Dr. Bohr-Gasse 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria. juraj.gregan@univie.ac.at

Trends in Cell Biology

|February 11, 2011

Summary

Merotelic kinetochore orientation, an error in chromosome segregation, can lead to aneuploidy and cancer. This study reviews how cells prevent and correct these merotelic attachments to ensure accurate cell division.

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Last Updated: Jun 4, 2026

Immunofluorescence Analysis of Endogenous and Exogenous Centromere-kinetochore Proteins

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Published on: March 3, 2016

Using Mouse Oocytes to Assess Human Gene Function During Meiosis I

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Directly Measuring Forces Within Reconstituted Active Microtubule Bundles

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Published on: May 10, 2022

Area of Science:

Cell Biology
Genetics
Molecular Biology

Background:

Accurate chromosome segregation is vital for cell division, relying on correct kinetochore-microtubule attachments.
Merotelic kinetochore orientation, where one kinetochore attaches to microtubules from both spindle poles, is a known error.
This error can lead to lagging chromosomes and aneuploidy, contributing to chromosomal instability in cancer cells.

Purpose of the Study:

To highlight recent advancements in understanding merotelic kinetochore attachments.
To review cellular mechanisms for preventing and correcting merotelic attachments.

Main Methods:

Literature review of recent studies on kinetochore-microtubule attachments.
Analysis of cellular pathways involved in error correction during mitosis.

Main Results:

Merotelic attachments persist despite cellular correction mechanisms, causing lagging chromosomes.
Merotelic attachment is a significant cause of aneuploidy in mitotic cells.
It is the primary driver of chromosomal instability in cancer cells.

Conclusions:

Understanding merotely is crucial due to its role in aneuploidy and cancer.
Recent progress sheds light on cellular strategies to prevent and correct merotelic kinetochore attachments, ensuring genomic stability.